Applying for Permanent Residence

Maintaining your immigration status in Canada is one of the conditions set out in your Letter of Appointment. If you do not have valid immigration status in Canada Queen's University cannot pay you. An application for Permanent Residence will ensure that you maintain valid status. If you do not apply for Permanent Resident status and have to renew your work permit you will need a new Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). To obtain the LMIA, the position you are holding will have to be re-advertised to search for qualified Canadians or Permanent Residents.

Applications for P.R. can be made through the Province of Ontario - Provincial Nominee Program (requires an initial application made by Queen's and subsequent applications by the nominee to the PNP and to Citizenship and Immigration; please contact the Faculty Recruitment and Support Program for further information) or through the Express Entry system of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

As of January 1, 2015 applications for Permanent Residence under the federal immigration classes (Federal Skilled Worker Class, Canadian Experience Class) are channeled through a system called the Express Entry System. Through the Express Entry process you will find out which immigration class you will be eligible for. If you are eligible and have submitted a complete application under the Express Entry program processing will be completed within 6 months.

To apply under the Express Entry System:

Before starting, you must have completed an approved language test (see frequently asked questions below).

You will need your job title, code and skill type. Find these on the Annex A of the LMIA document you received when you first applied for a work permit. Please contact the Faculty Recruitment and Support Program if you have questions about this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about Permanent Residence, and links to the CIC web site to help you find the answers.

How long will the application process take?

The P.R. process requires extensive documentation for the faculty member and all dependents.

If you will be applying through the Express Entry system, you are advised to have all documentation ready prior to entering the pool of applicants. If your profile is selected and you are given and Invitation to Apply (ITA), you will have only 60 days to submit a complete application.

If you have lived in numerous locations for more than six months after the age of 18, it may take considerable time to assemble the documents, as you will need criminal record checks (police certificates) from each location.

Faculty members who have spent time in certain countries (China, South Africa) have reported that these countries are very slow to process requests for police checks. If you need information about where to have fingerprinting done in Kingston, please contact the Faculty Recruitment and Support office.

Obtaining police certificates from the FBI is delayed up to 18 weeks. Applicants under Express Entry should retain a receipt of mailing their request to FBI and submit this and a letter of explanation as part of their application as proof of having requested a police certificate. Submit the finalized police check immediately upon receiving it.

Materials documenting your work experience must be made available in professional English or French translation. For information on translation services, please contact the Faculty Recruitment and Support office.

Check CIC's Application processing times under "Processed in Canada" for current processing times. Applications under the Express Entry system will be processed within six months of receipt of a complete application.

Medical exams will be requested by the visa office once processing of your application has started. To speed up the process, you can also request upfront medicals from an immigration physician. If you need information about where to access medical services for CIC purposes in the Kingston area, please contact the Faculty Recruitment and Support office.

What are the fees for Permanent Resident Application?

There are several fees you and your family members have to pay to apply for Permanent Residence.

The fees for the Permanent Resident application are paid in two stages:

Language Testing for Permanent Resident Applications

Primary applicants to all Canadian immigration classes must pass a language test administered by an officially designated language testing agency. Test results must be submitted with the application for P.R., or it will not be processed. People whose first language is one of Canada's official languages must also undergo the test. If you are nominated by Queen's for the Provincial Nominee Program you are exempted from the language test requirement.

Test slots book up weeks in advance, book early for best availability.

Testing Options for Queen's Faculty Members:

Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP): For the P.R. application purposes, you must take the CELPIP "General" test. This is a Canadian test, and test materials use a Canadian accent. Total test time: 3hrs, entirely done on computer, at test site in Toronto or Ottawa.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS): You must take the “General Training” option. Closest test sites are in Toronto and Ottawa. Test materials of this international test use a variety of English accents (Australian, British, etc). Total time requirement: 9am-5:30pm. Written test is 2hrs 45mins scheduled from 9am; plus a personal interview with an examiner (to test speaking) which is scheduled during the afternoon. Interviewees must be prepared to stay until 5:30pm.

Occasionally, IELTS testing is offered at a site in Kingston (Holy Cross Secondary School) through Algonquin College. This is a paper-based test.

Any language test results are valid for two years from the date they were taken.